Firearm



N. L. BREWER 2,094,577

Oct. 5, 1937.

FIREARM Filed Feb. 6, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Nicholas L. Brewer ATTORNEYS N. L. BREWER Oct. 5, 1937.

FIREARM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 6, 1937 INVENTOR N IC holds L, Brewer ATTORNEYS Oct. 5', 1937. RE E 2,094,577.

FIREARM Filed Feb. 6, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Nlcholas L. brewer ATTO RNEYS FIREARM Nicholas 1L. Brewer, Agawam, Mass, assignor to Savage Arms Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application February 6, 1937, Serial No. 124,436

13 Claims.

This invention relates to repeating or magazine firearms of the gun or rifle type and particularly to the feed mechanism for such repeating firearms. v The purposes of the present invention are to provide a firearm of the class described of new and improved construction and operation and one which is simple and economical in construction, effective and durable in use and not liable to get out of order; particularly to provide a new and improved feed mechanism in and combined with such a firearm and to provide a repeater firearm which combines and incorporates the advantages and especially the simplicity of a clip magazine repeater with the advantages and especially the capacity of a tubular magazine repeater; to provide a construction in such a repeater firearm g having a feed mechanism including a magazine box located at the rear end of the tubular magam'ne into the lower part of which magazine box the cartridges are fed lengthwise by yielding means operating against the front end of the line of the cartridges in the tubular magazine from which lower portion of the box magazine the cartridges are. raised upwardly through a passage in the said box into the receiver by a swinging lifter and to have such lifter actuated partly by yielding tension as of a spring and partly by positive power received from the motion of the breech member and to have a yielding guide or stop to hold the oncoming cartridge in the bottom of said box until it is moved upward past said spring guide or stop by the positive motion of said lifter and to have the remaining part of the upward movement of the cartridge accomplished by the yielding action of the said lifter and further to provide in such a combination a lifter of such form that its forward end functions as a stop holding the next oncoming cartridge back in place while one cartridge is being lifted upwardly and to have the feed mechanism of such construction that the completion of the longitudinal motion of the breech member returns the lifter to initial position and re-tensions the spring operatively connected to said lifter; and generally to provide a combination of the class and type above mentioned where the parts are particularly adapted to coordinate and cooperate with each other to perform the functions'mentioned in an effective and proper manner.

Further purposes and advantages of the invention will appear from the specification and claims herein.

While my invention is shown and for purposes of definiteness is described in connection with a bolt action rifle, it will be understood that such illustration and description in connection with a bolt action rifle is only illustrative of my in= vention and that my invention is not limited in its use to a bolt action rifle or gun but may be used with other types of repeating firearms having a reciprocating breech member without further modifications than would be'readily made by one versed in the art. Fig.1 is a side elevation of the material part of a bolt action rifle embodying this invention, the stock being sectioned vertically and disclosing the adjacent part of the rifle as seen from the right hand side, the parts being in the position they assume when the rifle is cooked.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1 except that the stock is omitted and the breech member is shown in retracted position and the parts of the feed mechanism are shown in the position they occupy when the breech member is retracted.

Fig, 3 is a. view mostly in vertical central section with the parts in the position they occupy when the rifle is cooked and omitting the adjacent part of the stock.

, Fig. 4 is a vertical central sectional view of the parts shown in the right hand or forward half of Fig. 2 and with the parts in the same position but showing most of the feed mechanism in side elevation.

Fig. 5 is a separate side elevation of the assembled parts of the feed mechanism as seen from the right hand side.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the magazine box unit as seen from the right hand side and with out the other parts of the feed mechanism.

Fig. 'l is a front end view of the magazine box unit.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the lifter and its spacing collar.

Fig. 9 is a left hand end view of the feed mechanism assemblage shown in Fig. 5, but, omitting the box proper.

Fig. 10 is a top or plan view of the magazine box and its attached parts shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 11 is a top view of the feed mechanism assemblage shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 12 is a front end view of the bolt head.

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the lifter pin enlarged.

Figs. 14 and 15 are respectively side views and rear views of the lifter spring in the position it i has in Fig. 5.

yielding cartridge stop and guide spring for the cartridge, all on an enlarged scale.

Upon the drawings for the purpose of definiteness and convenience several of the positions of a cartridge are indicated by capital letters. The cartridge indicated by position A in Fig. 3 has entered the forward extension 30 of the magazine box 2| and its further rearward movement is prevented by its rear end engaging the nose of a cartridge at position C located in the lower chamber 25 of the magazine box. The position B indicated in Fig. 4 is the position of a cartridge when it has been able to move back against the forward stop face 68 at the front of the lifter which position is available only afterthe lifter has moved a cartridge up from the position C enough for the nose of cartridge C to be clear of the rear end of the cartridge at position A. Posi tion D indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4 is approximately the position of a cartridge being lifted by lifter 29 when the cartridge is entering the pocket at the top of the magazine box and at the stage when the lifter ceased to be moved positively upwardly. The cartridge at position E shown in Figs. 2 and 4 is the position when the cartridge has been moved up to be fully up in the pocket at the rear end of the magazine box and held from further upward movement by said pocket. Position F is the position of a cartridge in the rear end of the bore of the rifle; that is, when the breech member is fully closed.

In the drawings the cartridges are shown relative to the rifle as being of caliber .22 long rifle, but the feed mechanism of this invention is equally well adapted to handle and to feed cartridges of shorter lengths such as cartridges commonly known as caliber .22 long and caliber .22 short. In fact, it is one advantage of this feed mechanism that it can handle with equal facility any one of these three different lengths of cartridges. Many feed mechanisms are not adapted to work satisfactorily with so great a range of length of cartridge as above outlined, but it will be noticed particularly that this invention is of such design and combination of parts and cooperation between its parts that the feed mechanism is especially well adapted to be used at will with any one of these three types of cartridges without any change or adaptation or adjustment being necessary.

Referring to the drawings in a more particular description, it will be seen that the repeating firearm illustrated is a rifle of the type where the reciprocatingly mounted breech member is the bolt head'l2 which is directly confnectedto the rearwardly disposed bolt body or sleeve l3 and is reciprocated therewith in the receiver M by the handle l5 projecting from the bolt body through the receiver for manual operation in the usual manner and so the rifle is of the bolt action type.

The receiver |4is of general tubular form to reciprocatingly mount therewithin the breech bolt consisting of said breech head l2, breech body l3 and contained or attached parts. The receiver is suitably and rigidly connected to the rear or breech end of the barrel |6 where the receiver overlaps the barrel for a short distance.

Closely adjacent and parallel to the barrel l6 and preferably directly below the barrel there is provided and suitably secured the tubular magazine |1 conveniently consisting of an outer fixed tube l8, an inner tube I9 telescopically mounted therewith and in turn telescopically carrying a plunger 20 engaged by a coiled sp ng also located within the inner tube and operating to yieldingly press the row of cartridges 2| rearwardly of the tubular magazine.

The magazine box proper 2| consists of two sides 22 and 23 at the right and left respectively and a curved bottom 24 for nearly the forward half of said sides connecting the sides at the bottom so that the box provides a chamber 25 in the bottom of said box and in line with the adjacent rear end of the tubular magazine. Above this bottom chamber 25 the space between the two sides forms a passageZG leading upwardly towards and into the chamber 21 in the receiver immediately to the rear of the rear end of the barrel.

The chamber 25 in the bottom of the magazine box is of a size adapted to receive one at a time in a lengthwise position, the cartridges coming back from the tubular magazine I! and at the proper time the cartridge in this bottom chamber of the magazine box is lifted upwardly sidewise by the upper forward edge 28 of a swingingly mounted lifter 29 which lifter pushes the cartridge engaged thereby upwardly from the chamber 25 first nearly through the passage 26 and ultimately completely through the passage 26 and clear of the sides 22 and 23 of the magazine box at'which time the rear end of the cartridge is engaged by the proper parts upon the bolt head and when a caliber .22 long rifle is used the nose of the bullet of the cartridge is just entering the rear end of the bore of the barrel.

Preferably, however, there is formed integral with the magazine box proper 2| composed of the sides 22 and 23 and its bottom 24 the following further parts, first, a forwardly projecting tubular extension 30 projecting from the lower forward part of the magazine box proper into the rear end of the outer tube l8 of the tubular magazine for holding the forward part of the magazine box in alignment with and in communication with the tubular magazine; second, two spaced arms 3| extending respectively rearwardly from the lower half of the magazine box sides 22 and 23 or more specifically from about the lower half of the inturned flanges 32 provided upon the rear edges of the said sides 22 and 23; and third, two curved apertured plates 33, one upon each of said arms'3l at its upper rearward edge; and fourth, two small apertured ears 34, one on each arm 3|, each ear being at the rear end of said arm a little above its center line and with the ear projecting outwardly at-about right angles to the said horizontally disposed arms 3|. The magazine box proper 2| with its sides 22 and 23 and bottom 24 and the inturned flanges 32 on the sides and the detail shapes of these parts as will be hereinafter more in detail described together with the forward connecting tubular extension 30 and the supporting arms 3| with their curved plates 33 and the small ears 34 as already suggested are preferably formed integral and are so formed conveniently from one blank of sheet metal of the proper form, shape and character of metal by successive stamping or other shaping steps so as to produce the one unit separately shown in Figs. 6 and '7. The formation of all of these parts integrally from one piece of sheet metal greatly simplifies and economizes in the building up of the said magazine box and its attached parts and reduces the work of assembling a gun in which this invention is embodied and also insures the 'proper relative position of all of said parts and reduces to a minimum the weight of material used to provide. all of the said parts.

The apertured plates 33 at the upper edges of the two arms 3| have their curve such as to fit closely the outer circumference of the tubular receiver l4 and each plate is rigidly fastened to said receiver by a cap screw 35, the shank of which extends through theaperture of said plate and extends into a threaded hole provided in the receiver. It will thus be seen that these screws 35 with the plates 33 securely fasten the rear end of the magazine box and its attached parts in proper position upon the receiver.

space the arms 3| the proper distance apart so that the swinging lifter 29 which is pivotally mounted towards the rear ends of said arms 3| may swing freely therebetween. This swinging mounting of the lifter is conveniently accomplished by providing the said arms at the proper point towards their rear ends' with two oppositely disposed holes 36 in which is mounted the lifter pin 31 on which is swingingly mounted the said lifter through said pin projecting through the aperture 38 provided in the rear half of the said lifter. Preferably a spacing collar 39 is interposed between the aperture 38 in the lifter and the lifter pin 31 with said spacing collar formed of slightly thicker material than the lifter adjacent said arms whereby the arms 3| are engaged by the ends of said collar so that there is always a sufficient clearance between the lifter and the adjacent inner surfaces of the arms 3| to allow the lifter to freely move relative to the said arms and the magazine box.

As will be seen from Fig. 9 which is a rear elevation of the separate feed mechanism unit shown in Fig. 5, the lifter pin is considerably longer than the thickness of the box arms 3| and the spacing collar 39 so that the opposite ends of said lifter pin project well beyond the said arms and in fact beyond the outwardly turned flanges 40 preferably integrally formed with said arms about the holes 36 in said arms through which the pin extends. These integrally formed flanges provide further bearing surface for the lifter pin. Upon the portion of the lifter pin projecting to the pposite sides of the box arms 3| there are mounted two coiled portions 42 of the lifter spring 43, the connecting loop portion 44 of which as will be seen from Figs. 1. 2, and 9 extends downwardly and rearwardly on a slant as the parts are seen in the assembled view of the feed mechanism Fig. 5

to engage the rearwardly facing shoulder 45 provided upon the disk portion 46 of the lifter 29. The opposite ends 41 of the wire forming this lifter spring as will be best seen in Fig. 5 project rearwardly through the apertures provided in the small ears 34 already referred to as being povided upon the exteme rear end of the box arms 3|. It will be seen that the projecting ends of the lifter pin form holders for the two coiled portions 42 of this lifter spring 43. The ears 34 provide anchors for the ends 41 of said spring which anchors it will be noted are integral with the arms 3|. Preferably several coils of the wire of this spring are provided in each coiled portion 42 so that the said lifter spring can provide the required tension and movement tending to yieldingly move the forward end of the lifter upwardly from its downward position as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5 not only to the intermediate position shownin Fig. 4, but to the extreme upward position when the cartridge is clear of the magazine box and directly in straight alignment with the bore of the barrel.

From the side view of the lifter pin 31 appeering in Fig. 13 it will be seen that the extreme The holes in the re-' ceiver for the screws 35 also serve to properly ends of said pin are left the full size of the central portion of the pin forming heads 4| but that next inside of each head at each end of the pin there is provided a portion 48 of reduced diameter. These two portions 48 are of sufficient length to receive and securely. hold the coiled portions 42 of the lifter spring. The shape and tension of said lifter spring it will .be seen obviousiy forces the spring against the upper right hand part of the pin into the recesses of the reduced diameter portions 48 outside of the flanges 40 about the holes in the arms 3| and inside of the heads 41.

As suggested in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 the remaining portion of the coils project to the left and downwardly relative to the axis of the pin. This formation of the pin and the providing of the ears 34 allows the parts to be readily assembled without additional parts to hold them in place and the tension of the spring itself holds it in proper place at all positions of the lifter. and lifter spring.

0n the rearward half or disk portion 46 of the lifter 29 there is provided a radially extending actuating arm 49 which as the parts are seen in Figs. 1, 3 and 8 extends approximately directly upward .and into the long recess 50 provided on the bottom side of the bolt head |2. During the latter part of the forward travel of the bolt head the forwardly facing shoulder 5| at the rear end of this long recess 50 engages and swings forwardly this actuating arm 49 to the position shown best in Fig. 3 where the lifter is at its downward position and the bolt head is at its forward position. This forward movement of the bolt head by positively swinging the lifter to its lower position retensions in an obvious manner the lifter spring 43. At the forward end of the recess 50 in the bottom of the bolt head I 2 the material of the bolt head is left or shaped so as to provide a rearwardly facing shoulder 52. During the latter part 'of the rearward movement of the bolt head l2 this rearwardly facing shoulder 52 comes into engagement with the forward side of the actuating arm 49 and positively swings said lifter upwardly and therewith positively lifts upwardly the cartridge that is in the bottom chamber of the cartridge box from the position C of the cartridge shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 to the position D of a cartridge shown in dash lines in Fig. 4.

After the positive upward swing of the lifter caused by the shoulder 52 engaging the arm 49 has ended by raising a cartridge to position D, the lifter continues slightly its upward movement but solely by the action of the lifter spring 43 and carries the cartridge the slight remaining distance up to the position E shown by the upper cartridge in Fig. 4. This last movement has by the swinging of the lifter moved its actuating arm 49 down very slightly away from the shoulder 52. This final spring-actuated moving of the cartridge to the top of the pocket in themagazine box gives an easier and smoother operation than would be the case with a positive motion. This arrangement also avoids the, rearward motion of the bolt member being limited by contact of shoulder 52 with arm 49 either during ordinary operation or when the bolt member is to be removed from the receiver.

From the rear side of the disk portion 46 of the lifter as seen in Fig. 8 there projects rearwardly a stop arm 53 which when the firearm is in cocked position has its upper face bear against the lower surface of the bottom part of the adjacent receiver l4 and serves to prevent the til lifter from dropping back farther than shown in Figs. 1 and 3 even' though considerable pressure may at times be imparted to the upper edge 28 of the lifter by the cartridge thereabove being crowded downwardly by the rear end of the next succeeding cartridge coming from the tubular magazine. During all the successive steps of swinging motion of the lifter from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 this stop simply swings away from the adjacent bottom surface of the receiver.

It is very advantageous if not absolutely necessary for the effective and practical working of this feed mechanism without jamming that the cartridge after being brought into the bottom chamber 25 of the magazine box (more or less to the position shown in dotted outline of the cartridge in Fig. 3) be held substantially in that position until the cartridge then in the barrel be extracted therefrom and ejected from the receiver. If the cartridge were not so held in this generally broad-side and downward position by some suitable means it might become displaced through motion of carrying the rifle or of the discharge thereof or through the shock of beginning to extract and eject the preceding cartridge shell and such displacement might place this oncoming cartridge in a position where it would not be properly raised by the lifter or might block or jam the action of the lifter or even interferewith the extraction of the previous cartridge or the ejection thereof by the rearward movement of the bolt head. On the other hand, the means to hold said cartridge needs to be of such character that when the time, has arrived for the said cartridge to be moved upwardly through the passage 26 between the sides of the magazine box, such upward movement will readily take place. To accomplish these several purposes there is provided the combined yielding stop and guide spring 54 separately shown in Figs. 16 to 18.

This spring 54 has two oppositely facing cartridge engaging lengths or portions 55 which project inwardly through slots 56 extending hori zontally lengthwise of the magazine box sides 22 and 23. The spring and these parts 55 particularly are so proportioned and placed relative to the magazine box that the said parts 55 project into the space between the sides 22 and 23 just above the cartridge when placed in the chamber 25 at the bottom of the magazine box as shown in Fig. 3 just enough to engage the cartridge towards the upper part of its opposite sides and enough to hold said cartridge from becoming displaced from its position in the chamber 25. The holding action of these cartridge-engaging portions 55 of this stop spring 54 is strong enough to hold the cartridge in its said lower position even against the tension of the lifter spring exerted through the lifter against the bottom of the cartridge which lifting action becomes effective in practice when the bolt handle I5 is swung from its downward position and the bolt head makes a very short amount 9f rearward travel at the beginning of its re-tra c ting motion. At that point the lifter rises enough from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 13/420 actually be pressing against the bottom of th )cartridge in the chamber of the magazine box and this position of the parts is maintained until the bolt head travels far enough to the rear to bring the rearwardly facing shoulder 52 into engagement with the actuating arm 49 of the lifter. At that point the lifter is moved positively by the action of the bolt head and this positive movement forces the cartridge with a camming action past the inwardly cartridge-engaging portions 55. As this positive action of the lifter is exerted against the cartridge in the magazine box the said parts 55 are temporarily cammed apart by the curved sides of the cartridge being forced upward by the lifter. As soon as the cartridge has been so pushed by the temporarily distended parts 55 they return to their normal position under the spring action of the spring 54 as a whole.

After the cartridge-engaging parts 55 of this stop spring 54 have been passed by the cartridge, the positive upward swinging motion of the lifter continues by the forward end of the lifter traveling between the normal inwardly positioned parts 55 of said spring until as heretofore explained the lifter has carried the cartridge up to the position D shown in Fig. 4, the lifter spring thereafter moving the lifter to the position E. By this time the bolt head l2 has come to its retracted position and the rearwardly facing shoulder 52 on the bolt head has moved the actuating arm 49 on the lifter as far as it can do so and the said shoulder and said arm are out of engagement. It will be noted from Fig. 4 that the cartridge at position E is now in a slanting or inclined position with the point of its bullet close to and pointed in a slanting direction towards the rear end of the bore of the barrel. The upper face or edge 28 of the lifter it will be seen is in a slanting position so as to support the bottom of the cartridge in this po sition. The head or rim end of the cartridge shell, however, is held down by having come into a pocket formed for that purpose by shaping the rearward upper parts 51 of the two sides of the magazine box to be slightly concave on their inner faces and with said parts 51 having their upper edges 58 turned inwardly so as to be spaced from each other a less distance than the diameter of the rim of the cartridge and even a less distance than the body of the shell of the cartridge. To the rear and at the bottom of this pocket the two sides of the magazine box as at the zone 59 are spaced apart far enough to allow the rim of the cartridge to travel up therethrough without friction. The space between the two sides of the magazine box below this zone 59 and for some distance forwardly therefrom, that is through the space 60 (see Fig. 4) is also spaced far enough apart for. the cartridge rim to make its rearward travel through the magazine box when the cartridge is first introduced therein.

Assuming that there is a cartridge in the barrel as shown in Fig. 3, that cartridge has to be extracted from the barrel and ejected from the receiver before the cartridge in the bottom of the magazine box as shown in said Fig. 3 can be brought to the angular position of the cartridge projecting from the upper partof the said magazine box as shown in Fig. 4. This is accomplished through the rearward movement of the bolt head l2 with its conventional oppositely disposed extractor fingers 6l drawing the cartridge or cartridge shell rearwardly from the barrel and by an ejector member 62 throwing the so extracted cartridge or shell out through the large ejection opening 63 in the receiver provided for that purpose.

The ejector member 62 in this construction preferably and very convenientlyconsists of an upwardly extending projection provided upon the rear portion of the upper edge of the left hand side 23 of the magazine box 2|. This ejector member 62 is also preferably formed integral with and with the rear portion of the cartridge held the magazine box unit and thus the formation of the ejector member is made at the same time all the rest of said magazine box unit is made. The forming of this ejector member integral with the magazine box simplifies the construction of. the ejector member and its location and assembly with the rest of the feed mechanism and the assembling and placing of the feed mechanism unit in place upon the rifle insures the proper relative location of said ejector member.

It will be understood from the drawings and particularly from Fig. 12 which is a front end view of the bolt head that said bolt head in its forward portion is provided with two grooves 6d and 65 extending upwardly from the lower part of the front end of the bolt head to receive the upper portions of the right and left hand sides 22 and 23 respectively of the magazine box and that the groove for the edge of the left hand box is made proportionately deeper on account of the ejector member 62 projecting up above the general level of both sides of said'magazine box. The general level of the top edges of the magazine box sides 22 and 23 are not in the line of travel of the rim of the cartridge when the cartridge is being ertracted from the barrel by the rearward movement of the bolt head but towards the latter part of the rearward movement of said bolt head and just before the rearwardly facing shoulder 52 comes into engagement with the actuating arm 59 of the swinging lifter the backward movement of the bolt head brings a portion of the back edgeof the rim of the cartridge directly against the ejector member 62 projecting up above the general level of the left hand side 23 of the magazine box with a sharp positive motion which releases the cartridge from the extractor fingers and throws the cartridge or cartridge'shell as the case may be clear of the rifle.

Immediately after the extraction and ejection of the cartridge from the rifle the slight continued travel rearwardly of the bolt head brings the rearwardly facing shoulder 52 upon the bolt head into operating engagement with the actuating arm 69 upon the lifter 29 and positively lifts the cartridge from the position C of the cartridge shown in the lower chamber of the magazine box as indicatedin Fig. 3, partly into the pocket formed by parts 51 and to the intermediate, up-

wardly slanting position D of the cartridge shown in dash lines in the upper part of the magazine v box in Fig. 4, the spring-actuated lifter-then completing the carryingof the cartridgeto the position E shown in full lines in Fig. 4.

The upper portion of the cartridge and particularly the upper portion of the rim of the cartridge is nowhigh enough to be in the line of travel of the lower portion 66 of the cartridgeengaging recess 61 at the front'of the bolt head i2. This nose portion 66 it will be seen projects downwardly appreciably between the grooves 66 and 65 accommodating the upper edges of the magazine box so that the last'portion of the swinging of the lifter 29 lifts the cartridge upwardly far enough so that the upper portion of the cartridge rim as shown in Fig. 4 is directly in front of this initially engaging portion or nose 66 of the cartridge engaging recess 67. Therefore, as the bolt head is moved forward this portion 66 upon the bolt head very quickly engages the rear side of the cartridge at its top. Continued further forward movement of the bolt head slides the cartridge forwardly from the position E shown in Fig. 4 but still with its lower side sliding along upon the upper edge 28 of the lifter in the pocket formed by the concave inner faces of the rearward upper part 51 of the magazine. box sides. At the instant the rim of the cartridge passes the forward end of this pocket formed by the parts 51 and the inturned edges 58 the cartridge under the spring tension of the swinging lifter is moved upwardly to have the whole rear face of the cartridge fiat against the whole cartridge-receiving recess of the bolt head and. the

.rim of the cartridge isengaged on its opposite sides and at the forward sides of the rim by the rearwardly facing shoulders of the extractor fingers in the well known manner of such fingers. This places and holds the cartridge bodily directly in line with the bore of the barrel to the end of which bore the pointed end of the bullet was already directed when the cartridge was'in the slanting position E. Further forward movement of the bolt head moves the cartridge into the breech of the barrel position Fwhere it remains until the firing operation if any is had and certainly until the breech head is unlocked and its rearward motion begun. Repeated rearward and forward motion of the bolt head then repeats the cycle of extraction and ejectment of the cartridge" shell and feeding upwardly and into the bore of the barrel of the succeeding shell in the manner already described as to each step in detail.

As already mentioned the latter part of the forward movement of the bolt head brings the forwardly facing shoulder 5| into engagement with the rear side of the actuating arm 590f the lifter 29. This gradually swings the lifter downwardly from its extreme upward position and through its position shown in Fig. 4 at both of which positions the stop face 68 has been holding the rearward face of the next oncoming cartridge which was moved rearwardly to have about its rearward half within the lower chamber of the magazine box and its forward half in the forward tubular extension thereof. The last fractional inch of forward movement of the bolt head swings even the upward end of this stop face 68 from engagement with the rear of that cartridge so that the lifter comes to the position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. At the instant the stop face 68 becomes disengaged from the lower edge of the rimof the oncoming cartridge the yielding tensionimparted to the row of cartridges from the tubular magazine shoves said row rearwardly and and therewith moves the rearmost cartridge wholly into the lower chamber of the magazine box. Usually the sliding engagement of the lower edge ofthe rim of the cartridge against some portion of the upper edge 28 of the lifter raises the rear end of the cartridge so that the cartridge comes to more or less the position shown in Fig. 3 with further upward movement preventcd by the cartridge-coming into engagement with the portions 55 of the yielding stop spring 54.

It has already been mentioned that the combined yielding stop and guide spring 54 have the cartridge-engaging portions 55 normally projecting slightly into the space between the two sides of the magazine-box 2| so as to yieldingly engage ing tension to hold the cartridge in its lower position in the magazine box until the'positive swinging motion is given the lifter and that when the shape of the cartridge-engaging portions 55 and the adjoining parts of the magazine box be such that the said portions 55 may swing outwardly towards their respective sides of the magazine box.

It is also necessary that these cartridge-engaging portions 55 may be spread apart sufficiently to allow the body of the cartridge to move up therethrough notwithstanding that the walls of the magazine box are spaced apart only a slightly greater distance than the diameter of the body of the shell of the cartridge. The outward swinging of the part 55 is accomplished in the construction of the spring and magazine box herein shown by having the slots 56 one in each side of the magazine box of the full length and width of the said parts 55 and in line with the normal position of the said parts 55 so that when the cartridge is positively pushed up against the parts 55 said parts of the spring may be sprung outwardly away from each other and more or less into the said slots 56. It is necessary also that the body of the said spring 54 be so shaped that no part of it will be in the way of the swinging motion of the lifter 29 nor of the cartridges at any of their positions except the stopping of the cartridge in its lower position by the said .cartridgeengaging parts 55.

A convenient and the preferred form of making such spring 54 is shown in the drawings and will be now described, but it will be understood that the specific illustration and description is given for definiteness and not as a limitation upon the form and shape of said spring. Said spring 54 is preferably formed of one length of spring steel wire, shapedand formed so as to have at its forward lower end a semi-circular part 69 which is located directly beneath the curved bottom 24 of the magazine box as appears plainly in several views of the drawings, particularly Figs. 1 and 5. From the upper ends of this semi-circular portion 69 there is provided on each side of the spring a rearwardly extending leg 10 which when the spring ismounted upon the magazine box lies quite closely against'the sides of said box with its rear end particularly closely engaging the broadened portion of the box heretofore mentioned as the space 60. From the rear end of each leg there is a short upright H reaching up to the level of the slot 56 in the opposite sides of the magazine box. On the upper ends of these uprights there is provided a short inwardly extending arm 12 which when the spring is mounted upon the magazine box extends through the slot 56 at its rearward end and is there connected to the rear end of one of the cartridge-engaging portions 55 already mentioned. These portions 55 extend forwardly from the short arm 12 andv are connected at their forward ends to outwardly turned short arms 73 which extend outwardly through the forward ends of said slots and there are provided with downturned short fingers 14 which bear against the adjacent portion of the magazine box near the point where the sides 22 and 23 of the magazine box swell or turn outwardly and merge with the circle of the bottom 24 of said box. It will now be seen that the pair of rearward arms 12 and the pair of forward arms 13 taken with the rest of the spring allow for the slight inward and outward travel of the cartridgeengaging portions 55 and that the rearward upright H and the forwardly located upright fingers 14 set the proper limit to the inward motion of said parts 55. It will be understood that the whole spring is so constructed that it may have its parts 55 spread temporarily away from each other more than their normal amount so as'to let the spring be shoved up from below upon the magazine box until the parts 55 spring through the slots 56 in said box and that when the spring hasso been assembled upon the box there will be the proper tension upon-the spring and-the parts 55 to allow said parts 55 to function as a spring stop or guide for the cartridge, holding said cartridge against the spring tension of the lifter spring, but able to yield temporarily when the lifter is positively raised by the rearward movement of the bolt head. It will be seen also that this spring maintains itself in position when once assembled upon the magazine box and its tension will maintain the spring in the desired position upon the magazine box through all positions of the lifter. It will be seen especially that the semi-circular portion 69 at the forward lower end of the spring is forward of the front of the lifter and so does not interfere with any swinging motion of the lifter.

The spring is of such form and shape-and so vmounted upon the magazine box that it is not liable to become broken or distorted but that should a break or distortion occur, the parts can be readily removed from the magazine box when the barrel and action parts are removed from the stock without having to remove the magazine box from the receiver or from its connection with the tubular magazine.

A further necessity for having the stop spring 54 or its equivalent is that otherwise premature displacement of a cartridge from the position C might readily take place and this would be .apt to allow a second cartridge to be pushed back under the displaced one and effect a so-called double-loading of the box rendering the mechanism entirely inoperative and jamming the whole action. v

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a repeating rifle, the combination of a barrel, a receiver at the breech end thereof, a

breech member reciprocating in said receiver,

means for reciprocating said breech member, a tubular magazine adjacent the barrel, means in said magazine for yieldingly moving the cartridges endwise therein-towards its rear end, a

magazine box having its'lower part in communication' with the rear end of the tubular magazine and having its upper part extending upwardly into the receiver and providing a passage for the cartridges to be moved sidewise upwardly into the receiver, a lifter swingingly mounted towards its rear end'to the rear of said magazine box and adapted to swing upwardly through said box and lift a cartridge sidewise up through the box, a spring tensioned to so swing said lifter, a

yielding stop spring normally projecting into the sides of said box and .yieldingly engaging a cartridge in the lower part of said box and strong enough-to hold the cartridge therein against the said lifter spring and a projection extending upward from said litter and engaged by the breech member so that rearward movement of said breech member positively raises the lifter partway of its travel against the tension of the said yielding stop spring on the cartridge engaged thereby until the said cartridge is past said stop spring, said lifter thereafter completing its upits rear end to the rear of said magazine box and ward movement under the power of the lifter spring. a

2. In a repeating firearm, the combination of a barrel, a receiver at the breech end thereof, a breech member reciprocating in said receiver, means for reciprocating said breech member, a tubular magazine adjacent the barreL-means in said magazine for yieldingly moving the cartridges endwise therein towards its rear end, a magazine box having its lower part in communication with the rear end of the tubular magazine and having its upper part extending upwardly into the receiver and providing a passage for the cartridges to be moved sidewise upwardly into the receiver, a lifter swinginglymounted at adapted to swing upwardly through said box and lift a cartridge sidewise up through the box, a spring tensioned to so swing said lifter, a yielding stop spring normally projecting inwardly from the sides of said box and yieldingly engaging a cartridge in the lower part of said box and strong enough to hold the cartridge therein against the power of said lifter spring and an actuating arm exteding upwardly from the rearward part of said lifter into the path of travel of a part of said breech member whereby rearward movement of said breech member positively raises the lifter and a cartridge thereon against the tension of the stop spring engaging said cartridge and to an upper position in said box, said lifter thereafter under the power of said lifter spring completing its upward movement and carrying said cartridge further up.

3. In a repeating firearm, the combination of a barrel, a receiver at the breech end thereof, a breech member reciprocating in said receiver, means for reciprocating said breech member, a tubular magazine adjacent the barrel, means in said magazine for yieldingly moving the cartridge endwise therein towards its rear end, a magazine box having its lower part in communication withthe rear end of the tubular magazine and having its upper part extending upwardly into the receiver and providing a passage for the cartridges to be moved sidewise upwardly into the receiver, a lifter swingingly mounted at its rear end to the rear of said magazine box and adapted to swing upwardly through said box and lift a cartridge sidewise up through the box, a, spring tensioned to so swing said lifter, a yielding stop spring normally projecting inwardly from the sides of said box and yieldingly engaging above its center a cartridge in the lower part of said box and strong enough to hold the cartridge therein against the power of said lifter spring and an actuating arm extending upwardly from the rearward part of said lifter into the path of travel .of a part of said breech member whereby rearward movement of said breech member positively raises the lifter and a cartridge thereon against the tension of the stop spring engaging said cartridge and to an upper position in said box, said lifter thereafter under the power of said lifter spring completing its upward movement and carrying said cartridge further up.

4. In a repeating firearm, the combination of a barrel, a receiver at the breech end thereof, a breech member reciprocating in said receiver, means for reciprocating said breech member, a tubular magazine adjacent the barrel, means in said magazine for yieldingly moving the cartridges endwise therein towards its rear end, a magazine box having its lower part in communication with the rear end of the tubular magazine and having its upper part extending upwardly into the receiver and providinga passage for the cartridges to be moved sidewise upwardly into the receiver, a lifter swingingly mounted at its rear end to the rear of said magazine box and adapted to swing upwardly through said box and lift a cartridge sidewise up through the box, a spring tensioned to so swing said lifter, a yielding stop spring normally projecting inwardly from the sides of said box and yieldingly engaging a cartridge in the lower part of said box and strong enough to hold the cartridge therein against the power of said lifter spring and an actuating arm extending upwardly from the rearward part of said lifter into the path of travel of a part of said breech member whereby rearward movement of said breech member positively raises the lifter and a cartridge thereon against the tension of the stop spring engaging said cartridge and to an upper position in said box, said lifter thereafter under the power of said lifter spring completing its upward movement and Y carrying said cartridge further up and into the path of the forward end of said breech member.

5. In a repeating firearm, the combination of a barrel, a receiver at the breech end thereof, a breech member reciprocating in said receiver, means for reciprocating said breech member, a

tubular magazine adjacent the barrel, means in said magazine for yieldingly moving the cartridges endwise therein towards its rear end, a magazine box having its lower part in communication with the rear end of the tubular magazine and having, its upper part extending upwardly into the receiver and providing a passage for the cartridges to be moved sidewise upwardly into the receiver, a lifter, swingingly mounted at its rear end to the rear of said magazine box and adapted to swing upwardly through said box and lift acartridge sidewiseup through the box, a spring tensioned to so swing said lifter, a yielding stop spring normally projecting inwardly from the sides of said box and yieldingly' engaging a cartridge in the lower part of-said box and strong enough to hold the cartridge therein against the power of said lifter spring and an actuating arm extending upwardly from the rearward part of said lifter into the path of travel of a part of said breech member whereby rearward movement of said breech member positively raises the lifter and a cartridge thereon against the tension of the stop spring engaging said cartridge and to an upper position in said box, said lifter thereafter under the power of said lifter spring completing its upward movement and carrying said cartridge further up, the later part of the forward movement of said breech member causing a part of the said breech member to en.- gage said actuating arm and thereby swing said lifter down and re-tension the lifter spring.

6. Ina repeating firearm, the combination of a barrel, a receiver at the breech end thereof, a breech member reciprocating in said receiver, means for reciprocating said breech member, a tubular magazine adjacent the barrel, means in said magazine for yieldingly moving the cartridges endwise therein towards its rear end, a magazine box having its lower part in communication with therear end of the tubular magazine and having its upper part extending upwardly into the receiverand providing a passage for the cartridges to be moved sidewise upwardly into the receiver, the upper-portion of said box forming a cartridge-holding pocket, open below for receiving the cartridge and open forwardly for its exit, a lifter swingingly mounted at its rear end to the rear of said magazine box and adapted to swing upwardly through said box and lift a cartridge sidewise up through the box, a spring tensioned to so swing said lifter, a yielding stop spring normally projecting inwardly from the sides of .said box and yieldingly engaging a cartridge in the lower part of said box and strong enough to hold the cartridge therein against the power of said lifter spring and an actuating arm extending upwardly from the rearward part of said lifter into the path of travel of a part of said breech member whereby rearward movement of said breech member positively raises the lifter and a cartridge thereon against the tension of the stop spring engaging said cartridge and upwardly partly into the said pocket of said box,'

said lifter thereafter under the power of said lifter spring raising the cartridge completely into said pocket and holding said cartridge up in said pocket and thereafter raising the cartridge above the box.

7. In a repeating firearm, the combination of a barrel, 9. receiver at the breech end thereof, a breech member reciprocating in said receiver and havingat its front end a narrow downwardly ex-- tending nose, means for reciprocating said breech member, a tubular magazine adjacent the barrel,

means in said magazine for yieldingly movingthe cartridges endwise therein towards its rear end, a magazine box having its lower part in communication with the rear end of the tubular magazine and having its upper part extending I upwardly into the receiver and providing a passage for the cartridges to be moved sidewise upwardly into the receiver, the upper portion of said box forming a cartridge-holding pocket, open below for receiving the cartridge and open forwardly for its exit, said pocket at its top having a longitudinally extending opening narrower than the cartridges, through which opening on forward motion of the breech member its said nose extends .and pushes the cartridge forwardly from said pocket, a lifter swingingly mounted at its rear end to the rear of said magazine box and adapted to swing upwardly through said box and lift a cartridge sidewise up through the box, a spring tensioned to so swing said lifter,

a yielding stop spring normally projecting in-- wardly from the sides of said box and yieldingly engaging a cartridge in the lower part of said box and strong enough to hold the cartridge therein against the power of said lifter spring and an actuating arm extending upwardly from the rearward part of said lifter into the path of travel of a part of said breech member whereby rearward movement of said breech member positively raises the lifter and a cartridge thereon against the tension of the stop spring engaging said cartridge and upwardly partly into the said pocket of said box, said lifter thereafter under the power of said lifter spring raising the cartridge completely into said pocket and holding said cartridge up in said pocket and thereafter raising the cartridge above the box when the cartridge is released from said pocket by forward movement of the breech member.

8. In a repeating firearm, the combination of a barrel, a receiver at the breech end thereof, a

-breech member reciprocating in said receiver,

means for reciprocating said breech member, a

tubular magazine adjacent the barrel, means in a lifter swingingly mounted at its rear end tov the rear of said magazine box and adapted to swing upwardly through said box and lift a cartridge sidewise up through the box, a spring tensioned to so swing said lifter, movable stop means adapted to hold a cartridge in the lower part of said box against the spring action of the lifter and an actuating arm extending upwardly from the rearward part of said lifter into the path of travel of a part of said breech member whereby rearward movement of said breech member positively raises the lifter and a cartridge thereon against said movable stop means engaging said cartridge and to anupper position in said box, said lifter thereafter under the power of said lifter spring completing its upward movement and carrying said cartridge further up.

9. The combination with a repeating firearm having a. barrel, a receiver at the breech end thereof, a breech member reciprocating therein, means for so reciprocating the breech member and a tubular magazine adjacent the barrel and adapted to yieldingly move the cartridges therein rear a dly, of a feed mechanism comprising a magazine box in communication with the rear end of the tubular magazine and extending into the receiver and providing a passage for the cartridges to be moved sidewise into the receiver,

a movably mounted lifter adapted to move upward through'said box and lift a cartridge sidewise up through said box, a spring tensioned to so move said lifter, a yielding stop normally holding a cartridge in the lower part of the box against the spring action of the lifter, and an actuating arm extending from the lifter into the path of travel of a part of said breech member whereby rearward movement of said breech member positively raises the lifter and a cartridge thereon aga nst the action of the yielding stop, to an upper position in said box, said lifter thereafter under the power of said lifter spring completing its upward movement and carrying said cartridge further up into line with the bore of .having a barrel, a receiver at the breech end thereof, a breech member reciprocating therein, means for so reciprocating the breech member and a tubular .magazine adjacent the barrel and adapted to yieldingly move the cartridges therein rearwardly, of a feed mechanism comprising a magazine box in communication with the rear end of the tubular magazine and extending into the receiver and providing a passage for the cartridges to be moved sidewise into the receiver, a movably mounted lifter adapted to move upward through said box and lift a cartridge sidewise up through said box, a spring tensioned to so move said lifter, a yielding stop normally holding a cartridge in the lower part of the box against the spring action of the lifter, and an actuating arm extending from the lifter into the path of travel of a part of said breech member whereby rearward movement of said breech member positively raises the .lifter and a cartridge thereon against the action of the yielding stop, to an upper position in said box, said lifter thereafter under the power of said lifter spring completing its upward movement and carrying said cartridge further up into line withthe bore of the barrel, the later part of the forward movemeans for so reciprocating the. breech member and a tubular magazine adjacent the barrel and adapted to yieldingly move the cartridges therein rearwardly, of a feed mechanism comprisin a magazine box in communication with the rear ,end of the tubular magazine and extending into the receiver and providing a passage for the cartridges to be moved sidewise into the receiver, the upper portion of said box forming a cartridgeholding pocket, open below for receiving the cartridge and open forwardly for its exit, a movably mounted lifter adapted to move upward through said box and lift a cartridge sidewise up through said box, a spring tensioned to so move said lifter, a yielding stop normally holding a cartridge in the lower part of the box against the spring action of the lifter, and an actuating arm extending from the lifter into the path of travel of a part of said breech member whereby rearward movement of said breech member positively raises the lifter and a cartridge thereon against the action of the yielding stop and upwardly partly into the said pocket of said box, said lifter thereafter under the power of said lifter spring raising the cartridge completely into said pocket and holding said cartridge up in said pocket and thereafter raising the cartridge above the box.

12. The combination with a repeating firearm having a barrel, a receiver at the breech end thereof, a breech member reciprocating therein and having at its front end a narrow downwardly 'zextending nose, means for so reciprocating the breech member and a tubular magazine adjacent the barrel and adapted to yieldingly move the cartridges therein rearwardly, of a feed mechanism comprising a magazine box in communication with the rear end of the tubular magazine and extending into the receiver and providing a passage for the cartridges to be moved sidewise into the receiver,-the upper portion of said box forming a cartridge-holding pocket, open below for receiving the cartridge and'open forwardly for its exit, said pocket at its top having a, longitudinally extending opening narrower than the cartridges, through which opening on forward motion of the breech member its said nose ex tends and pushes the cartridge forwardly from said pocket, a movably mounted lifter adapmd to move upward through said box and lift a cartridge sidewise up through said box, a spring-tensioned to so move said lifter, a yielding stop normally holding a cartridge in the lower part of the box against the spring action of the lifter,

and an actuating arm extending from the lifter into the path of travel of a part of said breech member whereby rearward movement of said breech member positively raises the lifter and a cartridge thereon against the action of the yielding stop and upwardly partly into the said pocket of said box, said lifter thereafter under the power of said lifter spring raising the cartridge com-' pletely into the pocket and holding said cartridge thereof, a breech memberreciprocating therein,

means for so reciprocating the breech member and a tubular magazine adjacent the barrel and adapted to yieldingly move the cartridges therein rearwardly, of a feed mechanism assembly comprising a magazine box having at its forward lower end, an extension in telescopic communication with the rear end of the tubular magazine, the upperpart of said box extending upwardly into the receiver and providing a passage for the cartridges to be moved sideways upwardly into the receiver, thespaced opposite sides of said box having rearwardly extending arms with outwardly projecting plates thereon adapted to be secured to the barrel, a lifter swingingly mounted at its rear and between said arms and adapttionof the lifter, said lifter having an actuating arm extending upwardly from its rearward part into the pathof travel of a part of said breech member whereby rearward movement of.

said breech member positively raises the lifter and a cartridge thereon against the power of said yielding stop spring and to an upper position in the box, said lifter thereafter under the power of said lifter spring completing its upward movement and carrying said cartridge further up.

NICHOLAS L. BREWER. 

